Antonio Conte tactics are legendary. Last season Chelsea were awful and will be relying on the tactical mastery of the Italian to turn things around.
Despite defeat in France, Conte impressed during Euro 2016 with his tactical awareness and mannerisms. They showcased intelligence and passion two things fans crave in their managers.
Chelsea fans will be expecting him to turn things around quickly, and there are three areas they will want to see him make an impact.
Antonio Conte Tactics In Action
Chelsea were continuously out thought last season by managers that had worked out how to counter Chelsea’s predictable style of play.
To improve on next season, Antonio Conte will need to make Chelsea less predictable and have more options when plan A is not working. Conte showed his tactical skills during the European Championships. His ability to out think the opposition is one of the qualities that excites fans. They will be hoping to see Chelsea tactically dominate their opponents next season.
Tactics may seem a shallow argument but get it right and the Blues can dictate the games at their pace and have more success in games where we are evenly matched with our opposition.
A Faster Paced Attack
Chelsea lost the majority of their games last season despite dominating the play and possession. Chelsea failed to create chances as the Blues would slow the game down allowing opposition defences to get organised.
Chelsea fans will be looking for a more exciting and direct style of play, getting the ball into the box faster and taking shots earlier in attacking moves. Rather than trying to walk the ball into the net.
This may see Chelsea buy a fleet of new players, or they could just stick with those that they already have. They could even look to keep some of the players on the ongoing Chelsea loan treadmill. The likes of Victor Moses and Juan Cuadrado could come back and make a real impact if played in the right system by the right manager who gives them confidence to perform.
A Tighter Defence
Successful Chelsea teams have been built on defence, but last year things fell apart. Chelsea conceded 53 goals last season more than any season in the last decade. Conte will be expected to bring a defensive discipline to the side and stem the flow of goals.
Success will rely on managing the fitness and performances of captain John Terry after he was given a contract extension and bringing Kurt Zouma back into the slide slowly following a serious injury. Zouma will not be rushed back but he should be in the mind of Antonio Conte. He could also look at some of the youth or newer players such as Matt Miazga or Jake Clarke-Salter. A chase for John Stones should not be ruled out but with Everton looking to build it is unlikely that Chelsea will be able to invest the sum needed to draw him away.
